Social work manager suspended after telling female colleague 'I like a nice set of baps' while looking through her shopping basket

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Social work manager suspended after telling female colleague ‘I like a nice set of baps’ while looking through her shopping basket

A senior social work manager with three decades experience has been issued with a 12-month suspension order by the HCPC after he was found to have groped a junior colleague before informing her how he liked a “good pair of baps” as he squeezed a packet of bread rolls in front of her.

A misconduct hearing heard how “flirtatious” Robert Robertson, from Kent County Council, was seen to develop an attachment to a younger female social worker and subjected her to a series of sexual advances.

On one occasion he took his fellow social worker to an office first aid room before assaulting her by touching her breast and backside.

On another occasion he told the woman that he greatly enjoyed watching pornography featuring women of a similar size to her, before going on to say “I like a nice set of baps” while looking through food shopping she had bought that day.

The hearing also heard how Robertson became “aroused” in another incident when he touched his colleagues breast a further time, then told her how her breasts “didn’t disappoint'” him.

Too serious to ignore

Despite the serious nature of the sexual misconduct findings made against him by the panel’s investigation, the HCPC have felt it proportionate to only suspend Robertson for 12 months, despite the disciplinary panel saying his sexual misconduct was “too serious” to ignore.

A report of the hearing detailed how “In June 2017, Colleague A, made a complaint regarding Robertson’s conduct towards her. She alleged that something had happened with him and alluded to this being sexual. She said he asked to speak to her [in May 2017] and suggested they go into the first aid room at the office. He spoke to her about watching pornography of women of her size, saying that it turned him on and he had been having a good time. Colleague A was embarrassed and raised her hands to indicate that he should stop talking like that. He then took a step towards her and put one hand on her bottom and the other hand on her right breast. She felt intimidated because he is a large man and this took place in a small room. This was clearly conduct that was inappropriate and sexual in its nature. She said that she told him to ‘fuck off’ and left the room. She subsequently left the office on a joint visit with a senior colleague”

Further allegations found by the hearing showed how “Colleague A said that on 5 June 2017, Robertson asked to speak to her and led her into a side meeting room in the office. She said Robertson then started speaking to her about pornography. He put his hand down her top and touched the top of her right breast, and told her ‘they didn’t disappoint’. She told the Panel she looked down to make sure that her clothing was in order and noticed that he was aroused. This conduct was clearly inappropriate and sexual in its nature.

The abuse continued the next day when “On about 6 June 2017, Colleague A returned to the office from shopping at Asda with a packet of bread rolls. She told the panel Robertson asked what she was cooking for his dinner, then he squeezed the packet of bread rolls she was holding and remarked, ‘I like a good pair of baps’. Robertson accepted making a comment about baps, but he maintained that it was a silly joke in bad taste.”

Can I take you to a hotel?

The disciplinary panel heard Robertson had also propositioned the woman a month earlier, asking if he could book a hotel room for them both to go to. The panel recorded how Robertson asked his colleague ‘Can I take you to a hotel when you come back from holiday’. Colleague A was upset by this suggestion because it was not something that she would do. She said that she declined the invitation, then he said she would miss him when she was away. Colleague A said this was the first occasion that the Registrant had mentioned a hotel, but that it was not the first or only time he had said to her that he would like to have sex with her. She told the Panel that she did not want to report this at the time because the Registrant was a manager and that she respected her managers.

The HCPC heard from another female member of staff at Kent County Council who also gave evidence to the panel, telling them Robertson was often flirtatious.

The Registrant had sent an email to the HCPC on 11 September 2018, in which he acknowledged the proceedings and stated that he was not planning to attend the hearing or to be represented. He denied the allegations of sexual motivation or misconduct and expressed his view that the HCPC had already prejudged the outcome of the hearing. The Registrant had not responded to the HCPC’s subsequent attempts to contact him.

The disciplinary panel found Robertson had acted in a sexually inappropriate manner while working as a senior member of staff and suspended him for 12 months.

Robertson did not attend the hearing himself and nor was he represented. He had sent an email to the HCPC on 11 September 2018, in which he acknowledged the proceedings and stated that he was not planning to attend the hearing or to be represented. He denied the allegations of sexual motivation or misconduct and expressed his view that the HCPC had already prejudged the outcome of the hearing. He did not respond to the HCPC’s subsequent attempts to contact him.

Listen to SWT and Matt discuss this subject on this week’s Social Work Tutor podcast: available on iTunes, Spotify, Castbox and all other podcast apps/sites